If Asian, Does not putting ethnicity on commonapp raise chances????

Applying to College
21

@PurpleTitan‌ where would writing an essay on race be a plus?

22

@metsfan9: I would say to look through the results threads to see who gets in where.

Though I had more in mind founding/leading a group to help or somehow giving back to an ethnic group/community rather than writing an essay about race. Some schools care if you are the type to give back to a community.

23

@‌metsfan9
The UCs

24

The UCs and Caltech are race-blind, true.

Also, I believe that UMich (and all the other MI publics) are now forced to be race-blind as well.

25

The UCs are supposed to be race-blind but there is a study by a UCLA law professor that shows that isn’t the case. Also my own anecdotal experience confirms this. UCs aren’t allowed to see race on the application so mentioning race in the essays would get around that restriction. (assuming you are URM and you want them to know that)

26

@bomerr, that may give URM an advantage but would not put ORM at a disadvantage.

27

Mets Fan: Since Asians are over represented, all one can logically conclude is that Asian Applications are well viewed by Adcom regardless of race identification. The choice is yours. GL

28

“BTW, since Asians are over represented, all one can logically conclude is that Asian Applications are well viewed by Adcom regardless of race identification.”

I find your logical reasoning skills to be rather wanting, @SamRam.

29

I was able to get into Northwestern University ED without putting down my Asian ethnicity so I say it wouldn’t hurt your chances (my name isn’t recognizably asian)

I also come from Bay Area which is known to have many highly qualified Asians applying to top schools

30

@ucbalumnus‌ & @intparent: I realized that you don’t actually have to look at LACs to find schools where Asian applicants won’t have to fear that the bar is higher for them because they are ORM (though they’d have to look at near-Ivies instead of just Ivies and equivalents):
Asian-Americans aren’t quite 10% at Georgetown and are well under 10% at Notre Dame.

31

All - please stick to the topic at hand. No need for personal attacks.